Free ProPresenter alternative: TheOpenPresenter
ProPresenter is the industry standard for a reason. It's mature, powerful, and runs on stages far bigger than most churches will ever need. But it's also paid, licensed per machine, and heavier than a lot of teams actually require.
If you're looking for a free, open-source alternative, something a volunteer can run from a phone, that doesn't tie you to one licensed Mac at the front, this page lays out where TheOpenPresenter is a real replacement, and, just as importantly, where ProPresenter is still the better choice.
At a glance
TheOpenPresenter is a strong alternative if you want:
- ✓ Software that's free and open source (AGPL 3.0), with no per-machine license
- ✓ To build and control presentations from a phone, tablet, or any browser
- ✓ Multiple people running the same screen at once, in real time
- ✓ Google Slides synced straight onto the screen
- ✓ A simple setup for a small church or mid-week group
Stick with ProPresenter if you need:
- • SDI/NDI and professional video I/O for a broadcast or large-production stage
- • A built-in scheduling and cue system for tightly-timed services
- • Planning Center and CCLI SongSelect built into your workflow
- • The deep feature maturity that comes from years of development
Feature comparison
| ProPresenter | TheOpenPresenter | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Paid license | Free / open source (AGPL 3.0) |
| Maturity | Very mature, battle-tested | Younger, actively developed |
| Real-time collaboration (multiple operators) | No, single operator | Yes, multiple controllers at once |
| Control from phone / tablet | Yes (Remote app) | Yes, any browser, nothing to install |
| Web-based (no install) | No, native app | Yes, runs in any browser |
| Google Slides sync | No | Yes, sync directly |
| PowerPoint import | Yes | Yes |
| Bible / scripture display | Yes | Yes, 2,300+ translations + custom upload |
| Embed a live web page | No | Yes |
| Video (YouTube / Vimeo / upload) | Yes | Yes |
| Video backgrounds behind lyrics | Yes | Yes |
| Countdown / timer / rundown | Yes | Yes |
| Screen share to the output | Limited | Yes |
| Multiple independent outputs | Yes | Yes, each can show different content |
| Digital signage / always-on TV | Partial | Yes |
| AI lyric formatting | No | Yes |
| Self-host / own your data | No | Yes |
| Stage display / confidence monitor | Yes, mature designer | Beta |
| Lower thirds / overlays / props | Yes | No |
| SDI / pro video output | Yes | No |
| NDI (network video) | Yes | No |
| Transitions | Rich library | Fade only |
| Macros / MIDI / show control | Yes | No |
| Scheduling / cue system | Yes | Not yet |
| Planning Center integration | Yes | No |
| CCLI / SongSelect import + reporting | Yes | No |
We've highlighted the wins on each side deliberately. ProPresenter is clearly ahead on pro video (SDI/NDI), lower thirds, transitions, macros/MIDI, cueing, a mature stage display, and the two integrations churches ask about most: Planning Center and CCLI SongSelect. TheOpenPresenter is ahead on price, real-time collaboration, web/phone control, Google Slides, screen share, digital signage, and openness. Which column matters more depends entirely on your church.
Where ProPresenter is still better, and who should stay
We're not going to pretend otherwise:
- • You run a large-production stage. If you're feeding SDI or NDI to cameras, a broadcast mixer, or a big LED wall, ProPresenter's pro video I/O is built for that and we're not there yet.
- • You rely on a cue/scheduling system. ProPresenter lets you script a tightly-timed service with cues. We don't have that yet. It's on the roadmap, but "yet" is the honest word.
- • You live in Planning Center. If your service order, songs, and volunteers already flow through Planning Center Online, ProPresenter imports straight from it. We don't integrate with PCO yet, so you'd build the service in TheOpenPresenter directly.
- • You rely on CCLI SongSelect and reporting. ProPresenter pulls songs from SongSelect and helps with copyright reporting. We don't. You import lyrics from other sources or add them yourself, and we don't track CCLI usage.
- • You need years of edge-case polish. ProPresenter has been refined over a long time. For the most demanding setups, that maturity shows.
If that's you, TheOpenPresenter isn't the right switch today. Bookmark us and check back.
Where TheOpenPresenter wins
For most small and mid-sized churches, the things below matter more than SDI ever will:
It's free and open source
No license to buy, no per-machine cost. It's AGPL 3.0, so you can self-host it, read the code, and it can never be taken away from you. For churches under 50 weekly attendance, the full cloud plan is free through our sponsorship programme, storage and AI credits included.
Anyone can run it, from anything
ProPresenter lives on one licensed machine at the front. TheOpenPresenter runs in a browser and is controlled from a phone, tablet, or laptop. Your worship leader can advance lyrics from the stage while someone else fixes a typo from the back row, at the same time, with nothing to install.
Real collaboration
Several people can control the same presentation simultaneously, in real time. Prepare the service together during the week; run it together on Sunday. No single indispensable operator.
Google Slides, synced
Build announcements and sermon slides in Google Slides, where your team already works, and sync them straight onto the screen. ProPresenter can't import Google Slides at all.
Share any screen, live
Push an operator's screen straight to the output over the network, handy for a last-minute website, a live document, or anything not built as a slide.
Doubles as digital signage
Because it runs in a browser on a TV stick and can loop slides, images, and embedded web pages, the same setup drives lobby screens or announcement displays through the week, not just Sunday.
No laptop required
Plug a Fire TV Stick, Chromecast, or Android TV device into the screen and present straight to the TV. See how.
Switching from ProPresenter
You don't have to rip everything out at once:
- Start free. Create an account. No card, no commitment.
- Bring your existing slides. Import PowerPoint files, or sync from Google Slides. Add your song lyrics.
- Connect a screen, a browser on any device, or a TV stick. Setup guide.
- Run one service as a trial alongside ProPresenter. Keep the old setup as backup until you're confident.
Most teams find a single mid-week meeting is the low-risk way to test it before trusting it with a Sunday.
Frequently asked questions
Is TheOpenPresenter really free?
Yes. It's open source under AGPL 3.0, so you can self-host it for free forever. The hosted cloud version is free for small churches, and free entirely (storage and AI included) for churches under 50 weekly attendance via our sponsorship programme.
Can it fully replace ProPresenter?
For most small-to-mid churches, yes. If you depend on SDI/NDI video output, a built-in cue/scheduling system, or a Planning Center and CCLI SongSelect workflow, not yet. Those are areas where ProPresenter is still ahead.
Does it run on Mac and Windows?
It runs in any modern browser, so any OS works. There's also a desktop app, TheOpenPresenter Studio, for a native offline experience, plus TV apps for Fire TV and Android TV.
Can I import my ProPresenter files?
You can bring content in via PowerPoint import and Google Slides sync. For song lyrics, our AI formatting lets you paste them in and have them formatted into slides in an instant, so moving your library over is quick.
Can multiple people control it at once?
Yes, in real time, from separate devices. This is one of the biggest differences from ProPresenter.
What about video output for cameras / broadcast?
This is where ProPresenter is stronger. We don't offer SDI or NDI professional video I/O yet, so for large-production stages ProPresenter remains the better tool.
Does it work with Planning Center?
Not yet. If your church runs everything through Planning Center Online, that's currently a reason to stay on ProPresenter. PCO integration is something we're watching, but it isn't here today.
Does it handle CCLI / SongSelect?
No. You can import lyrics from other sources or add them yourself, but there's no SongSelect import or CCLI usage reporting. If copyright reporting is part of your workflow, ProPresenter is stronger here.
Can I use it for digital signage too?
Yes. Because it runs in a browser on a TV stick and can loop slides, images, and web pages, the same setup can drive lobby or announcement screens during the week.
Try it free
Free to start, no card needed. Or read how to get set up for church.
Honest verdict: if you need SDI/NDI, cue-based scheduling, or a Planning Center and CCLI workflow, stay on ProPresenter for now. For everyone else, there's no reason to keep paying.